


Nightmares & Pity

by emsiider



Category: Dishonored (Video Games)
Genre: Angst, Corvo Attano - Freeform, Emily Kaldwin - Freeform, F/M, Jessamine Kaldwin - Freeform, Nightmares, The Outsider - Freeform, The Void, emsider
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-15
Updated: 2018-04-15
Packaged: 2019-04-23 07:40:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,117
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14327763
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emsiider/pseuds/emsiider
Summary: “NO!” Blood ran cold, sweat covered her forehead and tears wetted her cheeks as the now older Empress shot up from her bed. Brown eyes wide with fear as she came face to face with the black pupils of the Outsider. They shifted looking at her own irises, their noses brisked each other's for mere seconds before a gasp breathed past her lips. She’d quickly scurry back putting distance between the both of them, hands fumbling as they slid down the fine sand. “What do you think you are doing?” Emily’s voice was filled with irritation, the idea of him seeing her like this struck a cord wrong within.





	Nightmares & Pity

Emily had made her way across the Dust District in search of Mr. Stilton’s manor throughout half of the day, but now finding that precious time trickle down getting closer to night, she knew she was going to have to bunker down for the night... the dying sun she had seen as she retreated through a window had told her that much. So the Empress, not wanting to travel in the dead of night settled down in an abandoned home, which had dust piled at the corners of each room. The air began to lift, becoming less thick as the recent storm settled. Emily was grateful for the mask she had to cover her mouth and nose, it prevented any of the sentiments to find their way to her lungs and she’d happily pay the price of having a dusty attire than the possible sickness from the weather. “Desperate times call for desperate measures, I suppose.” Emily breathed, starting to explore the house she’d call home for the night. With no surprise, the door to enter the small home was barricaded shut, meaning no one could enter aside from the window she had slipped through. At least then Emily knew she didn’t have to worry about any Howlers barging in or the Overseers sensing the Outsider’s Mark following them to call for treason. The idea of such a headache made her mind throb slightly… or was it really her lack of sleep? The day had drawn most of the energy from her having to hide from several Overseer hounds, half of the city’s population, and the threat of Pablo’s gang. A soft groan, passed pursed lips, wanting to finish looking over the rooms so she could actually get some rest. It didn’t take long for her to do a quick check over of the kitchen and half of the dust-filled bathroom to know she was mostly safe. Now for the last place, the bedroom.

The sound of her boots resumed until Emily stopped at the entrance of the room. The door was broken, hanging on one hinge as she stepped passed it, gazing around. Dirty paintings hung sideways on brown walls, one side of it was cover by grey dust and the other was clear enough just for one person. Coughing into her sleeve, boots sounded across the wooden panels, over to where she spotted a bed rested against the wall. This would make a good cushion, much better than the dusty floor. She’d check it over, patting the dirt off and wiping it down one final time before she let it fall into the mostly clear area. Emily lowered onto it as a low sigh brisked her lips. “Much better.” Her voice hummed, unholstering the weapons she had, soon placing them by the bedside. As she began to lay, pulling her mask off, and settling down for the night she went over the things she’d do in the morning, knowing that whatever Delilah was hiding she’d figure it out and exploit the entirety of its use. Her mind was a roller coaster, rushing past all the objectives needed to be done, conjuring expectations but finally wondering what would be her next move once she did come to know the witch’s secret. There was no telling until tomorrow’s events played out.

It took several minutes for Emily to finally find sleep, it’s darkness blanketing over her eyes, clouding any thought in her mind as the Void took her to a dream she’d wish to escape from. A dream that haunted the Empress. The death of her mother…

______________________________________

_Tall white walls rose around her, the small girl taking her time as she followed Corvo, a little breathless from the game of hide and seek the two had just played and the many stairs she had to climb to get to where the sounds of her mother could be heard. Her voice didn’t sound pleased and as it seemed the spymaster was talking as if the Plague couldn’t be cured. Even if it didn’t seem like it now they still had to have hope, didn’t they? Sokolov said his Elixir would cure it so they mustn’t give up! Emily maneuvered past the Royal Protector, over to where the Empress stood speaking harshly with the other man. “Mother, Corvo is back!” Her lips pulled in a smile hoping to ease the tension between the two as she dismissed the spymaster. The old crow. Brown eyes dared to look up into his wrinkled face but quickly snapped back to her mother’s after seeing his narrow beady eyes. They seemed to burn into the pale skin of the little girl sending shivers down her spine. Before long Corvo replaced the croon, Emily stood back watching attentively in hope of hearing the good news he brought. Her foot lifted pressing against the marble floor as her hands folded behind her back in anticipation. Dark eyes not moving from the letter the gentle hands of her mother held. Though as the Empress would continue to read her expression would lower, shadows casting worry, making the young woman look much older than she really was. By then Emily knew the news held bad intentions without her mother saying so. “Are you okay, Mother? You seem sad.” Though Emily shared that emotion. Anger filled the young girl, not understanding why the other Isles weren’t as merciful as theirs were. They helped them, the least they could do was return the favor! Jessamine's sadness mirrored onto her own and before she knew it her gaze tore from the letter, moving closer to her mother, outstretching a hand for comfort. It was only a light gesture but she knew it meant the world to the now distraught Empress. A comforting mother’s hold reached back to her child, cupping Emily’s cheek as a small smile lifted her lips, speaking encouragement to her heir._

_The sweet, caring moment had passed as soon as it came, the world around her glitched violently to the dark atmosphere of the Void and back again, continuing to do so afterward. Disorienting her mother’s figure and changing Emily’s dream to where she now seemed to be having an out of body experience as her older self. The white marble structure would move to thick black rocks and cold drafts but would always come back to where she still stood next to her beloved mother, peering past the columns out towards the rooftops. Spotting the assassins as they rushed across them headed straight for the trio. The older Emily who watched helplessly as her younger father fought with brawn to protect his family. Killing each assassin as they made the attempt to take her mother’s life. Once they all disappeared in green fragments, the little girl ran over to the Lord Protector, hugging him in relief but Emily knew better, she knew what was coming. “No, the threat isn’t gone!” She’d call out wanting to run over to her mother, but some unspeakable force was keeping her down. Gluing her to the floor and no matter how hard she tried to struggle there was no use as the last assassin came into view grappling Corvo immobile. “Mother, run!” Emily cried, watching as Daud’s vicious hands grabbed Jessamine’s brown hair pulling her to him. “Please, not her. Not this!” The dream glitched once more, visions of black tears streaming down the mother’s face as her child was thrown back. Emily stood there watching with pain, not even realizing the piercing scream as it spilt her mouth open, watching the blade run through her mother’s corpse._

______________________________________

“NO!” Blood ran cold, sweat covered her forehead and tears wetted her cheeks as the now older Empress shot up from her bed. Brown eyes wide with fear as she came face to face with the black pupils of the Outsider. They shifted looking at her own irises, their noses brisked each other's for mere seconds before a gasp breathed past her lips. She’d quickly scurry back putting distance between the both of them, hands fumbling as they slid down the fine sand. “What do you think you are doing?” Emily’s voice was filled with irritation, the idea of him seeing her like this struck a cord wrong within. 

A dark eyebrow would raise as her answer. He hadn’t been there the whole time just a few minutes before she had actually awoken, though by the way she tossed and turned one would think she was already awake. He had wondered if it was his presence that had sent her into the nightmare or was she deep within it when he had arrived. Unsure of the answer, he had decided to stay out of pure curiosity. The Outsider knew what she was dreaming, like any child their fears eventually came back to them in the darkest of nights. Dear Emily, poor Emily. He had watched her expression tighten in pain, he had seen her restless movements and the tears that watered her lashes. If he knew any better he’d feel sorry, the sympathy which made someone conscious of their past actions… maybe even guilty. The Outsider made an expression of sorrow, raising his eyebrows as he gazed upon the Empress. He felt bad that there was nothing he could do to quell her dreams but knew that those were lessons being replayed, the importance of letting her learn to not make the same mistake was a greater mercy than waking her up. Upon a moment of peace in her restlessness, he progressed drawing closer to her, curious that maybe he could help in some way, anyway. The black smoke that flickered and disappeared behind him drifted over her being, his cold eyes looking at the marked hand that sprawled across her chest. Maybe if there was a comforting touch, she’d calm. Slowly the Outsider extended his own over across the space between them, cold digits brisking against it, black eyes taking in the soft glow it emitted as his hand grazed it. His mouth opened wanting to say something to the sleeping Empress, but before the cold digits could wrap around her palm or his words left his lips, Emily had shot up in that instant waking up. He lacked any surprise but instead looked at her as if he knew she’d wake up from his dead touch. And that’s where her question was asked then answered though not given a very good explanation.

“Well?” His gaze would flicker down to the hand he had been touching seconds ago, thinking. “You twist in your sleep, afraid of the past, fearful of the future. Your dreams are plagued with haunted memories but still, you hide them behind stoic expressions and determination. You slept restlessly and in your dreams I found it benefitting for me to watch. To understand.” His words were carefully picked, rising from his knees to his feet. No evidence of dust was left on dark pants or in the world he had been kneeling on. It was as if he was a ghost passing through the tangible universe leaving his touch and mark on the people who inhabited it. “You were watching me?” Her incredulous questions began again. So many questions. “Yes, but I watch the world, not just you, Emily.” He took note of how her gaze lowered. “Your nightmares have a heavy effect on you. Tears from an Empress is certainly a rare thing.” His steps carried over to her, leaning down again so he could gently brisk a finger against her wet cheeks, feeling the warmth of her skin and sensation of her sadness. Though it wasn’t long until Emily pulled away from him, brown eyes giving him a warning glare before shoving to her feet. “You shouldn’t be watching me. You shouldn’t be here.” The Outsider rose alongside her, watching with darkened eyes as she brushed herself off, straightening the attire she wore. “For what it’s worth, I am saddened by the pain you have.”

Pity. If it’s one thing Emily hated more than the men who took her mother’s life, it was that. Her jaw clenched with anger, brown eyes burning with a fierce intensity. “I don’t want your pity, I’m just fine on my own.” Strapping the pistol against her hip, the Empress gave the Outsider a narrowed glare. “Don’t treat me like the child I was so many years ago, I’m much older now and I don’t need the sympathy from you or anyone else.” With that she angrily strode towards the door, leaving the whale god to ponder on her words as she started her day early. “I… Emily.” Though he had no words to say, whatever there was, stayed.


End file.
